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Chesapeake, Ohio – June 26, 2006 – “EAA Chapter 644 aided by the TriState Pilots Association held an event for 24 Young Eagles on April 29, 2006, at the Lawrence County airport near Chesapeake, Ohio. It was truly a TriState event. We had pilots from West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky participating. We hosted the Air Force ROTC from Russell High School in Kentucky. Their Senior Instructor is Lt. Col. Terry Maggard, USAF (ret), assisted by CMSgt Norwood Merritt, USAF (ret).
Six of the 24 cadets received their “first ever” airplane ride. Many of the Young Eagles were really excited, not just for their first flight, but that many of our pilots let them see their school and home from the air. After all the flights had been given, we took a group picture and the Young Eagles lined up in formation to give us a choral thank you.
We were fortunate to pick a good weather day. We had seven pilots participating and seven volunteers for ground crew. The ground crew was especially important. We had three pilots teaching the ground school which started at 10:00 a.m. and was over at 11:15a.m. Col. Maggard commented that we had a semester’s worth of instruction in a little over an hour.
Col. Maggard also presented our Chapter with a framed photo of the October flights with the cadets’ signatures. Those teaching the ground school were Robert Shy, a retired helicopter instructor in the National Guard, Larry Thompson, who flies both helicopters and planes, and Allan Stern, a professor at Marshall University who is building an RV6A. We have an outline of the lecture available to the Young Eagles and also have it on PowerPoint. During the navigation section, we make sure that each Young Eagle has access to a local sectional chart.
The other ground crew consisted of the registrar and dispatcher, Bruce Sprouse and the photographers Marie Phillips and Val Johnson. We take 2 Polaroid shots of each Young Eagle. One for them to take home as a remembrance of the day and one for our bulletin board. The Unicom is ably manned by our faithful volunteer, John Graves, a retired US Airways employee. We coordinate our flight plans with the TriState airport (HTS) controllers who sometimes help us with the ground school.
Pilots flying this day were Nelson Whitt in a Cessna 172, Steve Songer in a Cessna 182, Dave Kisor, in a Cessna 172, Dan Pelfrey - TriState Pilot Association President in a Cessna 172, Ernie Clay - EAA Chapter 644 President in a Cessna 182, Beth Sprouse in Cessna 172, and Joey Johnson in a Cessna 172.
We have a unique organization at Lawrence County airport (HTW). Our airport is owned and administered by the County Commissioners. The TriState Pilot Association and other interested pilots care for a lot of maintenance of the grounds. In cooperation with the FBO partners, Marie Phillips and Nelson Whitt (who head up Attitude Aviation) we mow the several acres of grass, help as line boys when needed, and furnish and maintain the mowing equipment. We hold two fly-ins each year and have monthly meetings that always include a safety session on DVDs or Tapes. We believe that an active pilot’s association is vital to maintaining a viable local airport.”
Submitted by Don Lee – Chapter 644 Young Eagles Director, Nelson Whitt – FBO, Ernie Clay – Chapter 644 President, and Dan Pelfrey - TriState Pilot Association President.
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The Russell, Ky. Air Force ROTC poses with the pilots and ground crew following their EAA Young Eagles flights.
April Rowe holds up her Young Eagles Flight Certificate for a photo with her pilot, Beth Sprouse, following their flight.
Thoughts of a:
-Pilot
”Participating in Young Eagles flights is one of the most rewarding activities I have ever experienced. I love young people with all their vitality and enthusiasm for life. To know that I may have given them a positive experience they might not otherwise have is a great feeling – especially the young ladies. I want them to see all the opportunities available to women today that may not have been around for their mothers. This is why I fly Young Eagles.”
Bethany A Sprouse
EAA Young Eagles Pilot
-Young Eagle
”When you are flying you see everything in a different light. You can look at something you have seen a thousand times and it looks brand new. I greatly enjoy flying and this experience will be, and is, an unforgettable one! I think I speak for all of my fellow cadets when I say this was a very fun and exciting trip. Thanks to the pilots, and everyone else involved for a day of fun-filled memories.”
--Destiny Yates, Cadet/Senior Airman and Young Eagle
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